Booth at Japan airport boosts PyeongChang Olympics
The Visit Korea Committee, a nonprofit group working to promote Korea’s tourism, opened a booth earlier this week at Japan’s Haneda International Airport to promote the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics slated for Feb. 9-25.
The committee said the booth opened Nov. 1 and will stay open until Dec. 21 presenting PyeongChang, 126 kilometers east of Seoul, as a tourism destination. Visitors can experience winter sports in virtual reality at the booth, as well.
“In Japan, we’re delighted to promote the winter Olympics as we are getting ready to host the 2020 Summer Olympics. We are hoping these occasions will contribute to promoting tourism in both countries,” the committee said in a statement.
The committee is doing other activities that are intended to draw tourists to Korea during the games.
It is currently receiving applications for an online content contest about Korea. The contest is open only to foreign nationals, and four winners will receive a round trip ticket to Korea, as well as free accommodation and free tour. For more information about the contest, visit http://vkc.or.kr/en/.
The committee also trains local tour guides, taxi and bus drivers in the PyeongChang area in English and etiquette so they can help the guests who visit the town during the games. In addition, the committee helps local restaurants make English menus.
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to visit PyeongChang during the games. The Olympic torch arrived in Korea earlier this week and will travel around the country.
The national government began a variety of activities to drum up public enthusiasm about the Olympics. On Wednesday which marked the 100th day before the opening, the government held a public concert in central Seoul, drawing thousands of people. Soon, it will begin a volunteer group that will help with organization and preparations.